Red Sunset
by KozueNoSaru
Summary: Companion story to Reflecting. Clayton comes face to face with the Skeleton King himself. Man and monster end up being reminded of what the red sunset held for them in the past. And both are torn between wanting to remember and wanting to forget.


**Disclaimer:**

We three bodies of the fanfiction powers KoDraCan (KozueNoSaru, Candid Monkey and Drama-Queen) do NOT own, distribute, produce or profit from SRMTHFG. We never had, we never will. Disney and Ciro Neili own this franchise. The writing within this story is merely entertainment, and _should not_ be taken as any sort of actual plot within the storyline.

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**Warning:**

This story contains the following:

Slash (MxM)

Coarse language.

If you do not like any of the above, (which WILL come later in the fic), then we kindly ask for you to get the hell off the story page. By reading this story, you understand that you can't flame, sue or troll.

You were warned.

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_Red Sunset_

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"Why did you come back after all this time?"

The bone monarch looked squarely at the beaten-up old man. Captain Shuggazoom's helmet had been mauled off in the previous fight with Mandarin. Even though he was a very old man, he still held his sharp brown eyes from his youth. Skeleton King recognized him immediately and surprisingly, didn't attack.

"It wasn't my choice to leave to begin with."

"I know that now…"

"Why haven't you killed me yet?" Coming from his mouth, it surprised Clayton to ask.

That question startled the bone monarch more. Why HADN'T he killed this man? He was the enemy, was he not? And yet, something held him back from attacking. Flashes of what the man used to be flooded his evil mindset—striking brown hair, a hardy laugh, soft lips, and even softer body…

NO! He shouldn't be thinking about THOSE memories! He hoisted his staff at the Good Captain.

"You remember our friendship, don't you?" Skeleton King was mute, "You DO remember. You remember all the other things that passed between us, don't you?"

Something unnatural in Skeleton King made him WANT to listen to this man, "Go on. And don't make me regret listening to you."

"This whole time I've been awake…all I could think about how big a fool I was for abandoning you when you needed me the most.

"You've wasted your guilt worrying for me, Captain. It was pre-ordained."

"A human being I once knew said the same thing about being alone."

The bone monarch was caught off-guard. Why did this old man make him remember the GOOD things about being that pathetic, pure-hearted alchemist to the point of being hindered by it?!

"He was afraid that he'd spent the rest of his life alone and misunderstood. I told him he didn't have to believe that, to live like that. But by then, I had already fallen in love with him after years of friendship."

Another memory flashed in the evil one's mind. The youthful Captain seizing his (the Alchemist's) arm and forcing him to look him in the eyes before kissing him tenderly in the red sunset. It would not be the last of these intimate memories Skeleton King would relive.

"You do remember, don't you, Akihito?"

"…I do remember. But that doesn't explain why you're here!"

With heavy steps, Clayton teetered over towards the bone monarch, who was lowering his staff. The evil one knew Clayton was no threat to him after using all his strength against Mandarin, who lay unmoving in the corridor since the fight's conclusion. When he was within inches of him, Clayton collapsed against the Skeleton King. The bone monarch was quick to catch him.

"Why are you here NOW?! Why do you bring such memories into my mind?! What is it you want from me?!" Skeleton King was more scared than angered. He was scared of this man dying before he would get his answers. Clayton placed a gnarled hand on the bone monarch's face, cupping his chin.

"I wanted to see with my own eyes wha happened to you, Akihito…at least now; I can die knowing that you're in there…somewhere."

"No, no you will NOT die, Clayton Carrington. I will not allow it."

Why did he want to save this man?! He was the enemy! He could have ended his misery right then and there! Instead he laid him on the throne room floor and used his great powers to defy Father Time. He made him young again, as he remembered. Clayton howled in pain, thinking he was dying, but when the pain went away, he was alive, though weak. The bone monarch knelt on one knee.

"Why did you--"

"Don't speak…"

He scooped the man up into his arms and carried him bridal-style down the darkened corridors into a room that was detached from the rest of Skeleton King's dark realm. From the bars of the large window in the room, amidst the smoke from the battlefield outside, the sun was setting. Skeleton King placed the weakened Captain on the mattress before crossing over to an armchair, taking a seat. Clayton adjusted his head towards the sunset. Tears filled his eyes as memories flashed in his mind. The bone monarch watched the sunset as well.

"You never did answer why you were truly here."

"I just wanted…to see you."

"No, that's why you're here now. There's more to your visit than just to see what I have become."

Clayton managed to sit up on the mattress, his young physique outlined in the sunset. A powerful memory flashed in the bone monarch's mind. It was of the two of them many, many years ago embracing passionately in the sunset. The young man was remembering it too. The dark king left his seat and stood before the foot of the bed, looking into Clayton's teary eyes.

"I do remember you, Akihito. But I wanted to see you in hopes of forgetting what you were to me…to be able to believe that you're gone forever, so that it would be easier to fight you…" Clayton's voice was breaking, "but I don't want to forget. Even being asleep for all this time, I still remember you. I still love you."

"Then don't forget."

The bone monarch sat him up and held him close under red sky of the sunset. Clayton placed his hands on Skeleton King's skull and pressed himself close to the other being. The king in turn embraced him under the light of the sunset as it descended into night.

What would lay ahead for Clayton Carrington now?


End file.
